Reviewed by Tony Cummings

A simple idea. Take Benson's impressive roster of gospel acts. (Commissioned, Larnelle Harris, Vernessa Mitchell, Thomas Whitfield, Albertina Walker, Clifton Davis, Billy & Sarah Ganes, JC White And The TFT Choir, Morris Chapman and Kingdom) and give each of them an ancient hymn to sing. The problem comes in that stylistically you've got a massive range of styles with only skin pigmentation as a linking thread the whole project sounds decidedly disjointed. On the one end of the scale Lame lie Harris and Morris Chapman do the easy-listening-for-white audiences thing while at the other the TFT whoop it up storefront style on "The Old Rugged Cross". Commissioned are disappointing, nearer to Glad than the Winans on a barbershop rendition of 'Draw Me Nearere". But Vernessa Mitchell is richly soulful and I enjoyed Kingdom , the underrated girl team doing "Worship Him". But then the latter isn't anybody's "Favourite Hymn" proclaimed on the inlay.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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